FIDE Grand Prix Tournament 3, Rounds 3 and 4

 Round 3

Group A

This was the one that got away for Oparin, as he got a winning position against Nakamura, but couldn't find the right move. Even after that, he had a much better position, but it gradually slipped to a draw. In the other game, Aronian briefly held a clear advantage against Esipenko, but again a failure to find the right continuation led to a draw.

Group B

Mamedyarov-Dominguez was an interesting game, in a state of dynamic equality throughout, but accurate play from both sides meant it ended up as a draw. In the other game, Keymer demolished Dubov to leave the latter a point adrift at the bottom of the group.

Group C

Shankland was better throughout against Predke, but it lead to one of those frustrating rook endings where he could make no progress despite his extra pawn. So's game against Vachier-Lagrave meanwhile had a load of early exchanges that led to a draw there as well.

Group D

Giri-Vitiugov was an exciting opposite-side castling game where black ended up sacrificing a rook to force perpetual. In the other game, Yu-Tabatabaei, a brief flurry of tactics in the middlegame led to a queen ending with level material and symmetrical pawns, and that too was drawn. 

Round 4

Group A

Nakamura kept his qualification changes alive in this round with some excellent endgame play to defeat Aronian. This allowed Oparin to take the lead in the group with a game in which Esipenko could never satisfactorily resolve what to do with his IQP.

Group B

Keymer went horribly wrong in the opening against Mamedyarov, and though it lasted over 60 moves, the result was never in doubt. Meanwhile, Dominguez-Dubov was fairly level throughout, and was a draw in a similar number of moves.

Group C

Shankland-So was a fairly tame draw after an early exchange of queens in a symmetrical structure. Vachier-Lagrave's win against Predke then meant that all four players were tied for the lead.

Group D

Yu had his second consecutive perpetual of the tournament, this time against Giri. In the other game, Tabatabaei outplayed Vitiugov to mean that, like Group C, this group also had a four-way tie at the top.


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